Cutting device



June 29, 1954 E. F. ARNOLD CUTTING DEVICE Filed June 29, 195o\ INVENTOR. EDWARD E ARNOLD M- MJ am ATTORNEYS Patented June 29, 1954 UNITEDSTATES PATENT vOFFICE Claims.

rilhis invention relates to a cutting device, and more particularly tomeans for cutting cartons, packages, and the like from the interiorthereof without damaging the contents. The present application is acontinuation in part of my copending application Ser. No. 95,610 filedMay 27, 1949, which issued on August 30, 1950, as Patent No. 2,573,381.

In said prior application I have referred to certain disadvantages ofpresently used carton openers. Such openers, it will be noted, cut thecarton from the outside with the possible result of damaging thecontents of the carton. In many instances, the blades in the holder maybe fixed loosely to said holder with the result that there is a tendencyupon continued use of the cutter for the blade to become loose and tocut the carton unevenly. Furthermore, when passing such a cutter overthe edge of a carton, there may be a tendency for the blade during thecut- 1 ting of the carton to extend into the interior of the containerand damage the contents of said container.

In View of the above and other disadvantages,

it is an object of my invention to provide a cariii:

ton opener in which the blade or cutting portion of said openeradjustably extends from the handle of the opener and is disposed so thatit operates from the interior of the carton being opened, with little orno damage of the contents of the carton being damaged.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a device ofsimple, compact and economical construction in which the cutting memberforms a permanent and integral part of said device and is adapted to cutopen a carton and the like from the interior thereof.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a cuttingdevice for cartons and the like in which the cutting member of thedevice is so disposed that it cuts the carton below the surface of thecarton, said cutting being done from the inside out to avoid damagingthe contents of the carton.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide aneconomically made, easily manipulable carton or box cutter having asharp inclined cutting edge with a skid edge behind said cutting edgefacing the contents of the carton without damaging the same when saidcutter is in use.

A more specific object of my invention is to provide a cutting devicefor containers having a handle and an inwardly and upwardly inclinedcutting edge adapted to penetrate a container and 2 cut the same fromthe interior out without dainaging the contents thereof.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent from the followingdescription taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, inwhich:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the invention;

Fig. 2 is an end, sectional view showing the embodiment of Fig. 1 asapplied to a container, showing the cutting of the container from theinterior thereof;

Fig. 3 is a top plan View of Fig. 1 showing the embodiment in useagainst a wall of a carton;

Figs. 4, 5 and 6 show modiiications of the blade shown in Fig. 1.

Referring now to the drawings in which like numerals refer to like partsthroughout, there is provided a cutting device l containing a flatsurfaced face piece or member II. Connected to one side of said facepiece I I is a handle member I2 extending perpendicularly from said facepiece and xed thereto by means of a plurality of screw members I3extending through said face piece II into said handle I2.

Said face piece II is provided with a sliding or surface contactingportion I4 adapted to form a sliding abutment or Contact with theexterior I5 of a carton I6. Both said face piece II and handle I2 areprovided with a suitable slot or groove Il and I8, respectively, whichare in alignment, as shown more clearly in Fig. 2. Said slots I'I and I8are adapted to accommodate an adjustable blade member I9 so that thesame extends perpendicularly from the face piece Il. Blade I9, asclearly shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, contains a skid or gliding edge 2Gwhich is relatively smooth or beaded and has no cutting properties. Saidblade I9, furthermore, is provided with cutting edges 2| and 22,respectively, which may preferably be beveled and are inclined withrespect to both the skid edge 20 and the contacting surface Ill, so thatthe cutting edges face the contacting surface I4. Intermediate each ofsaid cutting edges 2l and 22, respectively, and skid edge 20, there isprovided an acutely formed recessed section 23 and 25., respectively.Said sections 23 and 24 form with cutting edges 2l and 22, respectively,sharp cutting or piercing points 25 and 26, respectively, to permit easypiercing or penetration of the wall I5 of carton IB.

Said cutting edges 2I and 22 terminate into and merge with aperpendicularly extending section or boss 2l provided with an elongatedhole 28 so as to permit relative adjustment of said blade I9 withrespect to the face piece II and handle I2. The boss is rigidly fixed tothe handle I2 by means of cross retaining member 29 extending throughsaid handle I2. Such relative adjustment of the blade I9 with respect tothe handle and face piece permits for the cutting of cartons or othertypes of containers of any thickness. It is important to note that inthe use of the device I the boss 21 should not extend outwardly beyondthe contacting surface I4 of face piece II, since it is desired toobtain a smooth, clean cut of the carton without rolling or accumulationof any of the cut material between the face piece I4 and the cuttingedges 2I and 22.

In the modication shown in Fig. 4, it will be noted that I provide adifferently shaped blade 30 containing only a single edge 3l extendingat an incline from boss 32 to skid edge 3 Ia. Said blade 30 has anelongated opening-33. In Fig. 5, ,I show a blade 33 similar in designtothat shown in Figs. l, 2 and 3 with the boss removed ibut havinganelongated opening In Fig. 6, I provide a blade 35 similar in design tothat shown in Fig. 5, but of substantially right angle formationcontaining -an elongated opening 35 adjacent the short`leg=`36 of thetriangle.

In the use of my invention, aiterthe necessary adjustment of the bladehas beenfmade with respect to the handle and face piece, itis relativelyeasy to cut the carton by initially piercing the saine by means ofpiercing pointsL25 and 26, thus permitting either cutting edge 2! -or22, depending upon the direction in which the device is moved withrespect to the carton, to c'utthe carton wall in any manner.Between-either cutting edge 2i or 2E and face contacting portion I 4,there is eiected a smooth relatively easy cut with no danger of tearingor roughy edging ofthe carton as it is being cut.

By the use of the present invention any type of carton whether straight,such as boxes, or circular, such as cylinders, can be easilycut from theinside without damaging or scratching any of the contents of the carton.Furthermore, if any of the contents are in the way of the cuttingdevice, the recessed sections 23 and 24 and skid edge 2G would pushaside the contents While the cutting action is being performed.Also,the'cutting can be eiiccted in any direction or on "any side of thecarton wherever the cutting is desired. The face piece II, which may belevel, as shown, or circular in outline, acts as agui'de'for maintaininga steady even cutting action -on `the carton while the device is in use.In my'type of invention, the blade is adjustably slidable'and permitsthe cutting of cartons of any desired thickness or where the contentsare relatively 'spaced with respect to the interior Wall ofthe containeror carton.

While several preferred embodiments of'my invention have been described,it is understood that various modifications as to form, -use andlarrangement of parts and materials may be made without departing fromthe spirit andscope of the invention as claimed herein.

I claim:

l. A device for cutting open a container from the inside thereof,comprising a handle, a face member connected to said handle adapted tolie iiush with the outer face of the fcontainer and a blade extendingoutwardly of the handle through the face member having an inclinedcuttingedge with a terminal piercing point for penetrating the containerand permitting cutting of the container from the interior thereof, saidblade having an external skid edge spaced from the face member andleading to the terminal piercing point.

2. A cutting device for cutting open a container from the inside,comprising a handle, a slotted face member perpendicularly connected tosaid handle adapted to lie iiush against the outer face of thecontainer, and a blade retained by the handle and extending through saidslotted face member, said blade having an inclined cutting edge facingthe face member, said blade having a terminal receding piercing edge anda skid edge, said skid edge being adapted to lie against the contents ofthe container to prevent cutting or damage of the same.

3. A device for cutting open a container from the inside thereof,comprising a handle, a face member connected to said handle adapted tolie flush with the outer face of the container, and a blade having acentral upwardly extending handle portion attached to the face memberand a cutting edge on the blade sloping upwardly toward the face member,said blade further having a relatively smooth skid edge behind thecutting edge adapted to face the interior of the container and anacutely receding section connecting the skid edge and the cutting edgeforming a cutting or piercing peint to permit penetration of the edgeinto the interior of the container and cut 'the same.

fi. A device for cutting open a container from the inside thereoi,comprising a handle, a face member connected to said handle adapted tolie i'lush with the outer face of the container and a substantiallytriangular `shaped blade having a central upwardly extending handleportion attached to the face member andra cutting edge on the bladesloping upwardly-toward the race member, said blade further having arelatively smooth skid edge behind the cutting edge adapted to face theinterior of the container and an acutely receding section connecting theskid `edge. and the cutting edge forming'acutting or piercing point topermit penetration of the edge into the interior or the container.

5. A device for cutting open a container from the inside of the same,comprising a handle, a face member connected to said handle adapted tolie nush with the outer face of the container, and an adjustablyconnected blade have a central extending handle portion attached to theface member and a cutting edge sloping toward the face member, saidblade further having a relatively smooth skid edge behind the cuttingedge adapted to face the interior of the container and an acutelyrecedingsection connecting thefskid edge and the cutting edge forming acutting or piercing point to permit penetration of the edge into theinterior oi the container.

6. A `device for cutting cartons and the like i'rom the inside thereof,comprising a substantially triangular shaped blade having an apicalextending portion, a handle for retaining said extending portion, and aface piece intermediate the blade and the handle adaptedto lie flushagainst the container as it is being out open, said blade having acutting edge sloping from the extending portion and a skid enge formingthe base of the triangular shaped blade, said blade having a terminalrecess in the apical portion thereof for interconnecting .the handle andblade.

7. A device for cutting cartons and the like from theinsideoutcomprising ahandlefaface piece connected tothehandle adapted tollieiiush against the outer face of the carton and slide against the same,and a substantially triangular cutting blade extending perpendicularlyfrom the face piece through the handle, said blade having a slopingcutting edge extending inwardly toward the face piece whereby thecontainer is cut on the inside between the face piece and the cuttingedge.

8. A device for cutting cartons and the like from the inside out,comprising a handle, a face piece connected to the handle adapted to lieflush against the outer face of the carton and slide against the same,and an adjustably connected blade extending perpendicularly from thehandle through the face piece, said blade having a sloping cutting edgeextending inwardly toward the face piece whereby the container is cut onthe inside between the face piece and the cutting edge, said bladehaving a dull skid edge parallel with the interior Wall of the cartonand facing the contents without damaging the same.

9. A cutting device for opening containers from the interior thereof,comprising a face member, a handle connected with said face member and asubstantially equilateral triangular shaped References Cited in the leof this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 707,207 ChisholmAug. 19, 1902 1,472,269 Grimmer Oct. 30, 1923 1,795,527 Tyreman Mar. 10,1931 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 52,421 Norway Apr. 10, 1933

